Authority is one of the key issues in political studies, for the question of by what right one person or several persons govern others is at the very root of political activity. In selecting readings for this volume Joseph Raz concerns himself with the moral aspect of political authority, choosing pieces which aim to justify its existence, determine who is subject to it and who is entitled to hold it, and whether there are any general moral limits to it. The readings - by such political thinkers as Robert Paul Wolff, H.L.A. Hart, G.E.M. Anscombe and Ronald Dworkin - examine the basic moral issues involved and provide an introduction to the debate about the nature of authority.